Chapter 1041: Tian Cong Battles the Mother Vine
After Jiangnan and the others got their injections and completely deactivated the parasitic spores in their bodies!
They also joined the large team pushing through the blood vines!
The cleanup within the Western Frontier territory was already completed, but they did not directly launch an attack into the country of Fanguo!
After all, the Qing Teng's level hadn't yet reached Star Glory; its strength was far from enough to deal with the Mother Vine!
So they turned their attention to the neighboring country of Yanguo!
After all, most of Yanguo was now occupied by the Fog Swamp Blood Vine—the country was barely a country anymore—and all of this was food for the Qing Teng!
But since it was another country's territory, moving troops and Dao Heaven cultivators in like that risked international condemnation and unnecessary misunderstandings!
Jiangnan didn't stand on ceremony; he directly called Liya and explained the situation.
"We're just going to help you clear the blood vines, we won't occupy your land, and we'll return it afterwards!"
Liya was thrilled: "Come! Come right over! My country of Yanguo will fully cooperate with the Huaxia forces. I'll go tell my dad right now!"
When Liya's dad heard this, he was overjoyed!
He was just worrying about how to deal with the blood vine problem; this was a golden opportunity that came once in a thousand years!
Liya's dad was decisive; he directly issued an international agreement on friendly cooperation between Yanguo and Huaxia!
Tying himself firmly to Huaxia's war chariot!
Large numbers of troops thus marched into Yanguo, clearing blood vines and leveling up their own Qing Teng!
They even received full cooperation from Yanguo's forces!
Wang Dalei clicked his tongue in amazement: "Now my Uncle Jiang is this effective?"
"A single phone call can move troops into another country without any obstacles?"
"How is he better at talking than me, a Dao Heaven?"
Another wave of pushing through, and with the Chen Clan stationing in the Western Frontier and joining the vine removal team, the efficiency was incredibly astonishing!
In just three days, they completely eradicated all the blood vines within Yanguo's borders!
The Tian Cong Qing Teng advanced to Star Glory One, its body over 500 meters, with roots spreading across the land!
And the white cloud vortex above grew larger, vaguely in a contest with the black clouds over Fanguo!
Then they officially launched an offensive into the no-man's land of Fanguo, devouring the Mother Vine's offshoots to strengthen the Qing Teng!
Since the situation in the Western Frontier had been very stable recently, there weren't too many uncontrollable beast tide incidents!
Wang Dalei even transferred large numbers of Spirit Martial Force from various outposts to speed up the progress of pushing through the blood vines!
The total number of participants in the battle was nearly 100,000 people!
With an irresistible force, they swept through Fanguo's no-man's land, directly approaching the main body of the Mother Vine!
...
In interrogation room 097, Earring Wei's eyes were bloodshot, her expression ugly.
How could she have imagined that Huaxia would produce a Tian Cong Qing Teng?
The Brahma Society's Fog Swamp Force Field was no longer a threat to Huaxia. At this rate, it wouldn't take long for the Brahma Society to be flattened!
(ꐦ°᷄益.°᷅) "Damn it! It's all Jiangnan's fault, so annoying. I, Vivian, swear I will keep you here!"
How could Pepper not know about Huaxia's actions? He personally led a group of underlings to confront them.
A thick green vine was seen dragging Floating Island 097 at low altitude.
One hundred thousand Spirit Martial troops stood at the edge of the floating island, forming a horizontal battle formation, frantically unleashing spirit techniques like weed whackers!
Wherever they passed, not a blade of grass grew, their momentum fierce!
The remnants of the blood vines were all absorbed by the Qing Teng to strengthen itself.
Pepper's eyes turned red: "You've gone too far! This is the territory of my Fanguo!"
"Without permission, you've openly moved large numbers of Spirit Martial troops in—is this an open declaration of war against Fanguo?"
At that moment, Jiangnan stood on the wall with a smug look.
(｡･᷄ꇴ･᷅) "Nonsense! We're just kindly helping you manage the vine infestation."
"Besides, how did we cross the border? This floating island is our Western Frontier's land; it was just pulled here by this disobedient Qing Teng!"
"As for spirit beasts and such, what they do is beyond our control. It's force majeure!"
"We're just standing on our land and using spirit techniques. What business is it of yours?"
Pepper was so angry his nose went crooked, unable to say a word in retort.
"You really are learning from their example!"
A group of Dragon Abyss Dark Night soldiers snickered.
(￢.̮￢。)
"Returning the treatment in kind—that feels so satisfying."
"Boss Nan is despicable enough! Despicably beautiful!"
Pepper gritted his teeth: "You... you're just sophistry! This reason doesn't hold water! Do you really think the Spirit Martial forces of my Fanguo are just for show?"
"I warn you! If you go any further, my Fanguo will make you pay a bloody price!"
Now Pepper could only wave the banner of Fanguo, hoping that Huaxia would be intimidated and retreat to the border.
That way he could still protect the Brahma Society.
The smile on Jiangnan's face disappeared, his expression turning cold.
(｡‾᷄～‾᷅) "Go ahead and try! I ask you one thing—does your Fanguo dare?"
"You started this trouble; now you want to smooth things over? Too late!"
"We don't provoke trouble, but we never fear it."
"Those who offend our Huaxia territory—though far, must be killed! This phrase is carved into our bones!"
"All Dragon Abyss Dark Night, by my order—push forward! If anyone dares to stop us, kill!"
The eyes of the Spirit Martial forces blazed with astonishing cold light.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Three cries of 'kill' shot straight to the sky, their aura like a rainbow!
Many Chen Clan members participating in the vine elimination were so shocked their legs trembled—where had they ever seen such a scene?
Pepper's expression was extremely ugly: "Fine, fine, fine! Just you wait!"
There was no point in stopping them any longer; Huaxia wouldn't retreat until the Mother Vine was destroyed.
Chen Daoyi swallowed his saliva: "Should we chase?"
Jiangnan shook his head with a cold smile: "Some things are better left for Pepper to do himself. If we act, we'll be seen as low-class and might be criticized by thousands."
Wang Dalei and the others looked at Jiangnan with confusion.
"What thing?"
...
At the underground pit where the Mother Vine was, its mood was extremely irritable because the Qing Teng had devoured countless offshoots.
Pepper gently stroked the Mother Vine, his eyes full of struggle.
Those plant-man commanders were full of anxiety.
(ง･᷅益･᷄)ง "Big Brother! Let's fight them to the death! Huaxia isn't leaving us any way out!"
(•̀д•́٥) "If we drag it out any longer, they'll be at our doorstep! Our Brahma Society will be finished!"
(｡í_ì｡) "Should... should we run? Where there's life, there's hope. Boss, can't you undo our mutation?"
(｀⌒´メ) "Run? Run if you want! I'm sticking with the boss!"
For a moment, the plant-men started chattering all at once.
Ponytail Wei: ᥬ(￢～.￢) "If you don't make a hard decision now, you'll lose your chance!"
Pepper's eyes hardened, and he punched the Mother Vine heavily.
The corner of Ponytail Wei's mouth curled up—success!
Pepper turned back, tears glistening in his eyes.
"Brothers! Without your support, the Brahma Society would never have come this far!"
"I, your big brother, remember your kindness. As long as I, Pepper, am still standing, the Brahma Society will not fall!"
The plant-men also got excited.
"Big brother! Say no more—you'll always be our good big brother!"
"If big brother asks, even walking through fire or treading on blades, I'd gladly die for you!"
Pepper took a deep breath, his gaze dark.
"Very good! Then please die for me!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the scene fell into deathly silence.
That underling took two steps back, his mouth twitching.
(٥･᷄ㅂ･᷅) "B-big brother! You're joking, right? Ah-ha, haha!"
"That must be it—joking at a time like this just shows big brother still has confidence, right?"
But looking at Pepper's cold expression, no one could laugh anymore.
Pepper said hoarsely: "Do it!"
In an instant, the Mother Vine burst forth with bloody red light.
Under the blood light, the parasitic blood vines inside all the plant-men suddenly went wild.
Brutally piercing through skin, shredding limb muscles, and wringing out blood like twisting a dough twist.
The scene erupted with screams and curses, but they couldn't resist the strangulation of the parasitic blood vines.
The hundreds of thousands of parasitic blood vines merged into the Mother Vine's main body like swallows returning to their nest.
They absorbed those plant-men into the main stem but didn't kill them, hoping to continuously provide blood—they became blood bags.
The screams echoed endlessly, and the Mother Vine's momentum rose wildly.
In the blink of an eye, it ascended to Star Glory Peak.
Pepper watched this with blood-red eyes, his palms clenched until they bled.
Vivian said expressionlessly: "Killing one is a crime; killing ten thousand makes you a hero."
"Great President, don't betray the loyalty your brothers have shown you."
Veins bulged on Pepper's forehead as he roared to the sky.
"Aaaah—kill them all!"
Instantly, the Mother Vine's red light surged, and the earth trembled.
Thick vine roots, seventy to eighty meters in diameter, pulled out of the ground, fully exposed above the surface.
Revealing its massive vine body completely, like a tentacled monster coiled in the no-man's land.
And all the surrounding Fog Swamp Blood Vines withered, with all life essence converging on the Mother Vine.
It swung its vine roots, moved its colossal body, and charged directly toward Floating Island 097.
It wanted to kill that green fellow and complete its final evolution.
On Floating Island 097, they naturally noticed all the blood vines withering.
No need to guess—even tens of thousands of meters away, they could clearly see the Mother Vine's huge blood-red main body charging like a giant octopus monster.
Wang Dalei and Chen Daoyi both swallowed.
"It's so huge! You can't judge the size of plant-type spirit beasts by common sense!"
At this moment, Li Bing was extremely excited.
"Here it comes! Little Teng, move your main body over too!"
"Take it down, and you'll be set!"
The earth beneath the floating island also trembled.
The Tian Cong Qing Teng's roots that covered the land also burst out of the soil.
Having consumed so many nutrients, the Qing Teng's size had also reached a terrifying level.
Although it couldn't match the Mother Vine, it was still Star Glory Four.
Its massive main body emerged from the ground, like a sky-supporting giant tree.
The two faced each other from afar, a great battle about to erupt.
——
Author's note: